


Sisters in Arms

by Merfilly



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Community: halfamoon, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Minor Character Death, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-06
Updated: 2016-02-06
Packaged: 2018-05-18 13:44:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,375
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5930532
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After losing Anakin, Padmé must find a plan. Thankfully, she also has Sabé to keep her steady.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sisters in Arms

Padmé tried not to let the events settle too heavily on her mind and soul. Sabé sat beside her, changing out the cool cloths along her longtime friend and mistress's throat.

"He is not himself," Padmé whispered to herself, and Sabé nodded, despite the words not being for her. "But if he is lost to me, held by the Sith control on him as Obi-Wan Kenobi believes, I must take steps to protect our child."

"What shall we do?" Sabé asked.

"The Jedi have played with deceit before; we must ask Masters Yoda and Kenobi to assist us in one more." Padmé touched her handmaiden's face gently. "It will mean allowing one of our sisters to be buried as me, while the child is set with someone strong enough to see them through the lies into adulthood."

"And you will become the sister that we bury." Sabé considered. "Cordé's death was so public, yet we do have Eirtaé and Rabé's bodies still, as we did not let it be known they had fallen."

"How few we are now, sister," Padmé said softly, as tears tracked her features. "Rabé favored me the strongest outside of you. Do you think I dishonor her?" She looked at her handmaiden with heartbroken eyes at the idea.

"Rabé, as all of us felt, would do anything for you or yours. You asked us all to leave you, when your period as Queen was over, and yet we all vowed our lives to you for eternity. This is no more than an extension of that vow."

"Then, once the child is born, we shall give Rabé the funeral of a former Queen, and I will live as her," Padmé said, heartsick at it all, but her Anakin… he needed her to be strong, to protect their child. Sabé crooned wordlessly at her, until Padmé let the tears fall more freely. Then, Sabé took the former Queen into her arms, and rocked with her gently. By the time they were ready to present the plan to the Jedi, Padmé was calm and composed once more, because she had Sabé as her rock.

+++++

"Twins." Padmé shook her head, even as she held both of them, bemused. "I did not think of twins."

Sabé and Dormé both smiled, though it was not without much sadness. When they'd come to terms with the plan, they had quietly buried Eirtaé, and then prepared Rabé in secret to more perfectly mimic their beloved Padmé. 

"The Jedi are ready to place them both with protective families. And then, Dormé and I will spirit ourselves into the children's lives, to keep an eye over them." Sabé reached out to pet the dark hair of the girl. "I do not like that you will not let us remain with you."

Padmé took a deep breath. "The Jedi are seeing to the funeral for Queen Amidala. Her handmaidens are free of service now, and I do not even ask that you do this service to the children."

"We wish it," Dormé said firmly.

Padmé felt tears once more, and knew it was as much for the affirmation of love between her and her handmaidens as for the cruel necessity of their lives. "I will never forget you, any of you, as I find my way alone."

She took a moment to kiss the boy, and then the girl, before handing them back to the women who had been her life for so long.

With them safely hidden, watched over by such women, Padmé could make her life over. She would never not love Anakin, or mourn for the loss of the man he had been. Now, though, she had to look to making the galaxy safe for the twins to inherit, which meant stopping the Sith Lord that had destroyed the Republic.

+++++

Sabé was watching over the toddler, Leia, when she became aware of a presence that was not supposed to be there. Hand shifting to her blaster, Sabé moved casually to get a better view… and then had to call on years of training not to shriek in glee. Even in the garb of a bounty hunter, Sabé recognized her Queen.

Padmé gave a nod, but her eyes were riveted on the little girl, her heart thudding at actually getting to see the reason she still fought, still cared what came to pass. When she could tear her eyes away, she moved carefully through the shadows. Bail knew she was here; there had been information to share.

The information she had not shared, though, weighed on her as much as knowing she dared not show herself to the child before her. Sabé was quick to use hand signs to point out her own chambers, giving Padmé somewhere to go until Sabé was free.

That did not take very long, as the child was nearing time for a nap, and it was relatively easy to convince Leia that the sooner she had done so, the sooner she could play again.

"Padmé!"

Sabé rushed to take hold of the woman, concerned for the visit, for the pain she could feel in her former Queen.

"Oh Sabé, she is beautiful," Padmé whispered. "I had to come see, when Bail said it would be alright." 

"She favors you, but not enough to warrant fear. It is known she is adopted, but thought to be from an Alderaanian family." Sabé smoothed back Padmé's hair. "You look so lost," she admitted.

Padmé shuddered once, then guided her former handmaiden to the bed, sitting with her. "I confirmed our suspicions, about Lord Vader," she whispered. "I know the Jedi suspected it, and thought it better if I believed Anakin dead, but … " She couldn't go further, and Sabé pulled her in closer, holding her as the tears came again. How cruel was it to know that the man you loved had become a true machine of evil tyranny.

"It is the Emperor's doing," Sabé reminded her. 

Padmé nodded, helplessly, before silently crying herself out. How had she failed to be what Anakin needed for the good in him to win against such manipulations?

"If I stay, the night and no more, would it do harm? I need… I need you," Padmé told Sabé softly. "I need to remember that love and loyalty are stronger than all of this."

Sabé nodded. "A night, more. I have a nanny droid that Leia has not yet learned to deactivate, and sometimes use such, when I have messages to carry," she told Padmé. "Leia does not come in here, and Bail gives me leave to do what I will."

"He speaks highly of you," Padmé said, before parting enough to begin removing the mismatched armor and garb of her new identity. Sabé shifted to assist, resuming the role of caretaker and confidant, for however long Padmé could stay. Her former Queen needed her, and Sabé would serve her to death, and beyond if needed.

+++++

As the pale light of a new day ghosted into Sabé's chamber, Padmé was already waking, making Sabé reach out to stop her from going. It made Padmé smile, then lean in to ghost a kiss along the other woman's lips.

"You have renewed me, and I know my daughter is well, in your care," Padmé said. "I must go, to continue building the Rebellion we need against the Emperor."

Sabé returned the kiss with one of her own, reassured that Padmé's heart was still strong, despite the most recent blow. "With what you know, what do you plan now?"

Padmé took a deep breath. "To find a way to set him free, so that he can try and undo what has been done." She sat up on the bed, reaching for her freshly cleaned undergarments. "Anakin deserves that chance, despite the horrors the Emperor has done through him."

Sabé nodded, understanding, before rising to help Padmé gird herself for the life she now led. "Will you come again?"

"Not often, my sister, but when I can." Padmé needed the peace Sabé brought her, the peace they so rarely had time for.

"I will await such visits eagerly, and do all I can to soothe the ravages of the hidden war you wage."

"I know. And treasure it."


End file.
